


A Gift from the Gods

by Doctor_Discord



Series: Fantasy AU [2]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Blushing, Brain Surgery, Gods, Google Has PTSD, Gorgons (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Magic, Magic Surgery, Mercenaries, Murder, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Sexual Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rape Recovery, Recovery, Role Reversal, Scars, Scorpion People, Sphinxes, Suicidal Thoughts, forced murder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2020-04-05 07:24:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19043863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doctor_Discord/pseuds/Doctor_Discord
Summary: Bing has lived alone most of his life. The desert is not exactly a friendly, nurturing place. But what happens when he finds a poor, abused creature hiding in a hole? What happens when he finds Google alone andterrified?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> *W A R N I N G*
> 
> This story contains VERY triggering references and acts to some people! Check the tags!

Bing poked his head out of his den, brushing the loose sand off his black robe. Glancing over his shoulder to check and see if the sun was indeed setting (as if the pink and gold sky wasn’t proof enough), he grinned, pushing his homemade shades further up his nose before climbing completely out of his den, his scorpion pincers snapping idly at the air. Nothing _good_ would come out till it was completely dark, but he was always down for a snack before a meal. Who knows, maybe he’d be lucky enough to find an unfortunate human lost in the burning hills of sand that was the desert.

Bing set about scouring the desert for other creatures, passing a lone cactus with its nymph sitting cross-legged on top of it. The nymph hissed at him as he passed, and Bing snarled, snapping at it with one pincer. The nymph vanished, and Bing continued on his way, scaling up the nearest massive sand dune as the moon began its climb. He could see the nearest oasis, not too far away. Perhaps he could find something there.

He started down the dune, but one of his legs got caught on something in the sand and he tripped, tumbling down the dune with a startled cry and landing in a heap at the bottom. After a moment of flailing, his tail lashing wildly at the air, he flipped himself over, fixing his shades and staring up with disdain at the dune. His brow furrowed. There was…a hole. Like a poorly made den, embedded in the side of the dune.

_Odd_.

Curiosity overtaking him, Bing crept slowly back up the side of the dune, head tilted to the side. A strange noise was coming from the den, growing louder the closer he got. It…sounded like _hissing_. Snakes were not exactly uncommon in the desert, but _this_ sounded like a whole _nest_.

Bing poked his head up to peek inside, and his eyes shot wide the second he saw blue skin and writhing snakes. “Whoa!” He ducked back down instantly, squeezing his eyes shut. A _gorgon_. He’d stumbled upon a _gorgon_. What the actual _fuck?!_

There was a brief moment of hesitation and baited breath to see if the still hissing gorgon would murder him as reputation told, but when Bing slowly opened his eyes again and noticed he was yet to be turned to stone, he slowly removed his shades, tossing them inside the den. “Put those on!”

The hissing grew louder, and the voice that spoke was rough and hoarse and _scared_. “…Why?”

“So I can talk to you, man! Come on, tell me when you’re good!”

There was another pause, then – “…Okay.”

Bing popped his head back up. The gorgon was pressed firmly against the back of the den – abandoned, Bing noticed, not poorly made – and breathing heavily. The first thing Bing noticed was that the poor creature was completely naked, his knees drawn up to his chest in an attempt to hide himself, but even still, he was so thin Bing could still see his ribs, skin pulled taut over the bone as he panted. Sluggishly bleeding wounds of varying size _covered_ his body, as well as darkened patches of skin that must’ve been bruises. He looked… _abused_. Abused and starved.

Bing absorbed this all in the span of a second, and he wasted no time in pulling off his robe and tossing it to the gorgon. “Here. Put this on, too.”

The gorgon caught it, but did nothing. “…What about you?”

Bing shot him a lopsided smile. “I don’t need it. I found it on a human and just thought it looked nice. It doesn’t even fit me.”

The gorgon gave him a small, shaky smile in return before pulling the robe on. He was still breathing far too heavily to be normal, the writhing mass of red, green, and yellow snakes on his head hissing with distress. Bing’s smile softened. “Can you stand, do you want to come out?”

The gorgon hesitated before crawling forward on his hands and knees, and Bing backed away from the entrance a bit. The gorgon poked his head out, faltering a bit at the sight of the rest of Bing’s body and drawing back inside a little. Bing continued to give him a soft smile. “It’s okay, man. If I was going to hurt you I would’ve done it by now.”

The gorgon slid completely out of the den, pushing the shades as far up as they could go on his nose and keeping his distance. Up close, out of the shadows of the den and in the light of the moon and dying sun, Bing could see more bruises and wound covering his body. Particularly a thick, far too rectangular bruise encircling his throat and horrific, inflamed abrasions around his wrists. Bing smiled again, a bit strained now, but warm. “There’s an oasis nearby. Do you…want me to take you there? I can carry you if you can’t walk.”

The gorgon hugged himself, bowing his head. His voice still sounded painfully hoarse and dry. “…I can walk.”

His words were rapidly proven false, however, when he took a shuffling step forward and promptly collapsed, saved from hitting the sand by Bing. The gorgon blushed dark blue with embarrassment, but Bing just winked and lifted him up in his arms, concern instantly spiking through him. He was _so light_ , his body feeling like glass in his arms.

Bing again set off for the oasis, moving as fast as his legs and the sand would allow. It wasn’t until he could almost touch the green spark of life that his eyes widened, glancing down at the gorgon. “I never asked! What’s your name? I’m Bing, by the way.”

The gorgon hesitated before answering, a few of his snakes flicking their tongues experimentally against Bing’s arm, tickling him slightly. “…Google.”

Bing beamed. “‘Google’. I like that!”

Google blushed again, pushing the shades up, and a few minutes later Bing was pushing through the thick foliage of the oasis, bursting out on the edge of a shimmering lake. He sat Google down on the edge, and he immediately scrambled towards it, practically dunking his whole head in the water as he drank greedily, quite a few of his snakes doing the same. Bing watched the display with growing concern for a few seconds before turning towards the nearest fruit-bearing tree, an orange one, and reared himself up on his back two legs in order to pick half a dozen oranges. He set the fruits down beside Google, and when he was done drinking – panting heavily with water dripping off his face – he wasted no time in grabbing one of the fruits and scratching at the peel. Within minutes half the oranges were gone, and Google was finally beginning to slow down, sitting cross-legged on the shore.

Bing watched as Google peeled open another orange, but instead of eating it himself, he held two slices up to either side of his head, and any of his snakes that could reach began devouring the fruit as well, the remaining hissing loudly. It was then Bing spoke, inching as closer as he dared without frightening the other. “…How long have you been stuck out here, man?”

Google glanced up, holding up two fresh slices for his snakes with orange juice dripping down his hands and arms, no doubt stinging and bothering his many wounds. His voice sounded better though, more of a deep purr than a hoarse drag. “In that hole? Only a few days. But out here? Several weeks, but not stuck. My handlers –”

Google paled, clamping his jaw shut and bowing his head, pulling apart more orange slices for his snakes. A sinking feeling settled in Bing’s gut, his tail twitching. Google flinched even at that slight movement, refusing to look at Bing. “…‘Handlers’? What does _that_ mean? Is it why you’re so jacked up?”

Google flinched again, dropping his arms in order to hug himself, his snakes hissing in protest. His voice was impossibly small, barely a whisper. Bing almost didn’t hear him. “… _Please don’t_ …”

Bing swallowed harshly, his own voice soft. “…Okay.” He cleared his throat. “Um…tha-that juice _can’t_ feel good. And you’re covered in blood and sand. Do you…want help in cleaning it all off, or…?”

Google fiddled with the end of the robe, still refusing to look at him. “…Can you even go in the water? Scorpions are arachnids, right? They can’t really swim.”

Bing huffed out a laugh, crossing his arms. “While I appreciate the concern, I’m like, almost eight feet tall. As long as I don’t go out far enough to submerge completely, I’m good.”

Google gave a tiny smile, shifting closer to the water and still fiddling with the end of the robe. “…Do I…do you want me to take this off? So you can get what’s underneath?”

Bing raised an eyebrow. “Only if you’re comfortable with it. We _did_ just meet after all.”

Google hesitated another long moment before pulling it off, slipping into the water quickly, but it was still enough time for Bing to catch the large, handprint-shaped bruises on the tops of his upper thighs and squeezing his hips. The second Google entered the water, sand and dirt and his navy blue blood began misting off in a cloud from him, and he sighed, sinking further down till only his head remained above the water, his snakes hissing softly.

Bing slipped in slowly in front of him, and Google tilted his head, causing a few of his snakes to shift out of the way of being submerged. He lifted an arm, and Bing set about wiping it clean, flinching every time Google winced. He repeated the process with Google’s other arm, softly asking him to stand so he could see his torso. His skin was paper thin, Bing could feel his heartbeat _pounding_ when he simply brushed a hand over his chest. There was _no way_ that was normal. Not to mention his painfully visible ribs.

When Bing got as much dirt and grime and blood off of Google’s front as he could, he stepped back. “Can you turn around for me? So I can see your back?”

Google hesitated _far_ too long for something not to be horribly amiss, and when he finally _did_ turn around Bing saw why, drawing in a horrified gasp. Google’s back was crisscrossed and thick with scars and wounds, almost entirely matted with blood. It was clear he’d been whipped, and _often_ at that. Not to mention his spine was painfully visible, jutting out of his back. Bing could practically see every vertebra. Whatever had happened to Google…whoever had put him through living Hell…it made Bing _sick_.

Swallowing thickly, Bing cupped water in his hands, pouring it as gently as he could down Google’s back, though he still flinched violently as Bing set about washing away the blood and sand. Even when he was done, all the blood washed away, it looked no less painful and horrific. Google didn’t allow for Bing to look at it any longer, however, spinning back around and pushing the shades further up his nose. “…Thanks.”

He made to head toward shore, but Bing stopped him. “Hey wait. I didn’t get your head yet.” Google fixed him with a small, confused frown, but stayed put, and Bing cupped water in his palms again. He hesitated before he dumped it over Google’s head. “Hold on, do any of these guys even like getting wet?”

Google snorted, smiling more than Bing had seen, and he was surprised by the sudden laughter. “The red ones _hate_ it, but they’ll get over it. They have short attention spans.”

Bing laughed softly, humming quietly as he set about washing Google’s snakes. True to his word, the red ones hissed loudly and angrily, writhing violently, but the green ones seemed to enjoy it, a few bumping their noses against Bing’s fingers. “…Do they have names?”

Google shook his head slowly. “Not really. Well, one does.” Bing released another handful of water, and before his hand could fall, a yellow snake, a bit smaller than all the rest and located more on the left side of Google’s head, curled around his wrist, preventing him from dropping it. Google chuckled. “ _Him_. I call him Oliver.”

Bing grinned as Oliver shifted to weave between his fingers instead. “I like him. He’s cute.” Oliver flicked his tongue against the inside of Bing’s wrist a few times before bumping his nose against it and rejoining the other snakes.

Google blushed, sinking back into the water, and Bing chuckled, continuing to wash the little snakes. It was a welcome surprise to notice that the snakes were completely unharmed as they hissed and tangled in Bing’s fingers. It didn’t take long for him to finish his task, and when he was done he planted his fists on his hips, smiling. “There we go! Does that feel better?”

Google nodded slowly, moving to head back to the shore. He was quick to pull back on the robe, the fabric sticking to him due to the water and revealing his ribs and spine, but Google either didn’t notice or care. He sat back down by his oranges, finished off the one he was feeding to his snakes himself before carefully picking at the peel of the next one.

Bing, however, stayed in the water, eyes narrowed, arms crossed, and perfectly still as he stared down at the lake. Something flashed beneath the surface, and Bing’s pincer lashed out, grabbing onto it and refusing to let go. His eyes lit up. “ _Ha!_ ” He shrunk a little when Google flinched and jumped on the shore, and he reached down into the water, grabbing ahold of the fish with his hand before letting go of it with his pincer. He hefted it up into the air, waving it a little. “Hey Google! You want one?”

Google looked up, pushing up the shade with his arm as he held up two more orange slices for his snakes. He raised an eyebrow. “Do I have the option to cook it?”

Bing shrugged. “I’m not gonna stop you, man. Just know that I’m not!”

Google gave a small smile, shooting Bing a thumbs up before standing and wandering off towards the trees, presumably to find firewood. Bing stayed and waited for the next flash of scales, idly munching on his own fish. He was quick to catch a couple more, finishing off his own as he headed toward the shore. Google – _somehow_ – already had a small fire going. Bing dropped the fish beside him before settling down a short distance on the other side of the fire, tucking his legs under his body. He watched Google spear one of the fish on a stick before holding it over the fire, turning it over slowly. Bing raised an eyebrow. “…You sure know your way around a fire.”

Google glanced up before turning his attention back to the fish, his snakes subdued and more or less laying flat against his head. “I’m from the rainforest. Drying off clothes after a downpour was necessary, not to mention cooking food. It’s just something I know how to do.”

That sinking feeling returned as Bing studied Google, taking in his many wounds and starved figure. The abrasions around his wrists still looked inflamed, most likely infected. “…Rainforest huh? You’re _really_ far from home, dude. How’d you end up out here?”

Google shrugged, rubbing idly at his throat and covering the suspicious bruise there. “I’ve been all over the place. I’ve…traveled.”

Bing narrowed his eyes at the subtle avoidance of his question, but when Google shrunk in on himself he decided not to press. The two sat in silence for a while as Google cooked and ate his two fish and the moon steadily climbed higher in the sky. When the moon was directly above them, Google shifted, tilting his head slightly to the side. “…Why are you helping me?”

“Hm?” Bing lowered his head from where he’d been staring up at the stars. He gave Google a soft smile. “No offence, but you look like Hell, man. Kicking someone while they’re already down isn’t exactly an appealing past time for me.”

Google shifted again, bowing his head and picking at the end of the robe. “…But you helped me before. Before you got a good look at me, that is. You gave me these.” He adjusted the shades. “… _Why?_ ”

Bing simply shrugged. “You didn’t try to kill me. Figured you weren’t as bad as rumor and stereotypes implied.”

Google shrunk, picking at the remains of his fish before holding up a couple pieces for his snakes. “…I’ve never wanted to hurt anyone. Most gorgons are actually pretty passive. We’re just… _forced_ to be solitary. Mothers can’t even interact with their children after giving birth in fear of accidentally…you know. We’re so rare because not a lot of us can survive without some sort of initial guidance. I’ve never met another of my kind, not formally at least. We used to leave messages for each other back home, carved into tree trunks. We talked, but we could never see each other.”

Bing winced, crossing his arms. “Sounds awfully lonely.”

Google shrugged. “I suppose. But it’s just the way things have to be. We’d rather be lonely than kill everything just by looking at them.”

Again, Bing scanned his body. “…When was the last time you were home?”

Google flinched. “I…haven’t been back in years. I don’t even know where home _is_ in relation to where I am now. I was always blindfolded.”

Alarm spiked through Bing. “‘Blindfolded’? _Why?_ ”

Google paled significantly, and he cleared his throat, adjusting his shades. “Doesn’t matter. Forget I said anything.”

Bing narrowed his eyes, but obediently didn’t say a word. He was beginning to have his suspicious of what had happened to Google, between his slip-ups and battered body. One thing was for sure, _Bing didn’t like it_. ‘Handlers’, blindfolds, ‘traveling’, beatings…it all added up to something that made Bing’s stomach turn.

Still, Bing put on a smile. He chatted animatedly to the poor creature before him, trying his damnedest to make him laugh and grinning brightly whenever Google snorted or chuckled. Eventually though, the sun began to rise, and Bing yawned hugely, stretching his arms above his head and his pincers straining and opening wide. Google raised an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side. “…You’re tired? But the sun is just now rising.”

Bing rubbed at his eyes, tail shifting and the barbed end tapping against his scorpion body to make an odd clicking noise. “Most creatures here are nocturnal, dude. The sun is Hell.” He relaxed, dropping his arms. “Do you wanna stay here or come home with me?”

Google frowned, fiddling with the robe. “…Are we coming back?”

Bing shot him a lopsided smile, eyelids drooping a bit. “Yeah, of course.”

Google hesitated, then stood, hugging himself. “…I’ll go.”

Bing grinned, reaching out a hand. Google flinched back, but after a moment, he reached up to take it. Bing led him back out of the oasis, back into the desert and towards his den. They passed by where Google had been hiding, and Google made a small noise, shifting closer to Bing’s side. When they reached the other side of the dune, Bing snarled at the sight of the nymph sitting on top of their cactus. The nymph gasped before baring their teeth at them, glaring at Google. Their voice was _exactly_ like one would imagine a cactus would sound like. “I knew you were a fan of _exotic_ creatures, Bing, but _this_ is _certainly_ a new low for you.”

Bing hissed, tail clicking and tightening his grip on Google’s hand. “Shut the _fuck_ up you prickly bitch.” He flipped the nymph off, dragging Google away. A minute or so later, they reached his den. Bing gestured to it, dropping Google’s hand. “Here we are. You go in first, I’m in bigger, I can block you from the sun and shield you from anyone dumb enough to peek inside.”

Google took a step forward, but faltered, turning back to Bing. His body was tight, coiled to run. “…What did that nymph mean?”

Bing’s expression softened. “Nothing, I promise. They were poking fun at the fact that I’m fonder of humans than most.” He shrugged. “I think they’re neat. Fun to pick apart.”

Google jolted as if to move, but stayed rooted to the spot. “And…what if I want to leave?”

Bing raised an eyebrow. “My den’s big enough. If you want to leave, you could just crawl over me. Just keep in mind to watch the tail.”

At last, Google visibly relaxed, and he clambered into the den. He immediately pressed himself against the back wall, heading for the deepest shadows and curling into the tightest ball he could manage. Bing sighed softly before crawling in after him, settling a small distance away and positioning himself so Google was blocked from view. It wasn’t exactly difficult; he was _so small_ , it made Bing’s chest ache.

With another sigh, Bing closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

A few nights later, and Google was slowly healing. _Physically_ , at least. Though his wrists still looked nasty, they were less inflamed as Google washed them in the lake. His bruises and other wounds were fading as well, his bruises now a sickly purple instead of dark blue. His ribs and spine were gradually becoming less pronounced as Bing fed and cared for him. His back still concerned Bing greatly, but Google wouldn’t allow him anywhere _near_ it since that first day. He was still jumpy and twitchy, flinching at almost every move Bing made. And he _refused_ to open up more on how he’d ended up in the desert.

Currently, they were back in the oasis, the stars above covering the sky in a never-ending blanket of diamonds. Google was sitting cross-legged by the shore, feeding orange slices to his snakes with a content little smile. As he healed, though he remained skittish, his true personality began to show. Google was _incredibly_ sarcastic with a _dry_ sense of humor, and in the moments he was feeling most like himself he was rather abrasive and stand-offish to any creatures that visited the oasis. But Bing could just open his mouth and barely say two words and Google would _melt_ and become shy and sweet. It was rather… _cute_.

Bing himself was sitting a ways a way, doodling and painting in a sketchbook he’d once found in an abandoned camp out in the desert, constantly glancing at Google. He’d drawn him in his current position: arms raised while his snakes fed with the shore lapping gently at his left side. Bing was painting the outline in, trying to make it as lifelike as his skills allowed. He paused, frowning. Something was missing. He’d drawn Google without the shades, and – “Hey Google.”

Google glanced in his direction. “Yes?”

Bing tilted his head, tapping his chin with the end of his brush and still frowning at his painting. “What color are your eyes.”

“…Blue.”

Bing waved the hand holding his brush, sending paint flying through the air. “Yeah, I’d assumed that much, but what shade?”

Google slowly stood, washing his hands in the lake before making his way over to where Bing sat. He _immediately_ blushed dark blue at the sight of the painting before he cleared his throat, gesturing timidly to Bing’s paints. “Um…may I?”

Bing passed the bottles over, ripping a blank sheet out of his book for Google to mix them on. Google glanced at him, fiddling with the shades. “Can you…get behind me? I want to take these off. So it’s accurate. And I don’t want…”

He trailed off, and Bing nodded, flashing him a smile before going to sit a bit a ways behind him. A moment later, Google was setting the shades aside, and he picked up the bottle of blue paint. Google was surprisingly precise and confident as he mixed the colors, a few of his snakes – Oliver being one of them – watching with interest. After a while, he sat back, apparently satisfied with what he’d created, and he grabbed the shades again. “…Okay.”

Bing got up again, moving to sit beside Google once more. He gasped softly. The blue on the paper was…not what Bing had expected. It was _bright_ , and surprisingly light in color compared to the rest of him. It was like…an electric, icy blue.

Bing glanced at Google, taking the brush and paper from him before carefully coloring in his painting’s eyes. Bing swallowed thickly, glancing at Google again. “ _Oh_.” It was such a small speck of color, but it made _all_ the difference, bringing the drawn Google to life in a way Bing doubted he could’ve achieved had he drawn the shades instead.

Google smiled softly, shifting a little closer to Bing. “There. Perfect.” Google blushed further, and Bing jumped when several small things bumped against his arm. A glance down revealed several of Google’s snakes butting against his arm, tongues flicking out and hissing softly.

Bing blushed himself, clearing his throat awkwardly, before setting his sketchbook aside. He made to reach passed Google for his paints, but then Google was flinching violently, scrambling away from Bing’s outstretched hand and breathing heavily. Bing snatched his hand back to his body, and Google flinched again, eyes no doubt blown wide behind the shades. Google visibly swallowed, his snakes writhing. Bing purposefully made sure his voice was soft. “Google, I –”

He didn’t get to finish. Google shook his head wildly, clamping his hands over his ears as his snakes hissed loudly. He got unsteadily to his feet, stumbling rapidly back to shore on shaky legs before he collapsed face-first into the sand, curling into a tight ball. All Bing needed to hear was his wretched sob before he was scrambling towards him, skidding to a halt in the sand beside him. Google’s breathing hitched, and he quickly got to hands and knees to move farther away from Bing. “ _Don’t come near me!_ ”

Bing flinched, inching a bit closer. “Google, please, I didn’t mean –”

Google pressed his hands tight over is ears again, careening to the side and falling back in the sand. His back was to Bing, he couldn’t _see_ Google’s tears but he could _hear_ him sob again. “ _Please,_ I-I-I didn’t do anything wrong, I want to go _home_ , I-I _don’t want to hurt anyone anymore!_ ”

Bing was unable to stop the tears pricking at his own eyes and another violent sob tore itself from Google’s throat, his whole body trembling as he lay in the sand. Unsure of what to do, Bing simply sat there, tears sliding down his own face as Google melted down in a way Bing had never seen before, from _anyone_. Something _horrific_ had happened to Google, and Bing wasn’t quite sure he’d be able to stomach _what_.

Eventually, Google’s sobs died down, though he didn’t move, remaining stiff and curled tight with his hands over his ears. His snakes still hissed and writhed as he visibly panted, his side rising and falling in time with his shaky breaths. Bing wiped at his eyes with the heel of a hand, blinking rapidly. “…Google?” He winced when Google flinched. “Are…are you okay?”

There was a long pause with no response, but then Google shifted – just slightly – and shook his head once.

Bing made to reach out, but thought better of it. “Are…you at least better?”

A small nod.

Bing swallowed. “Do you need anything?”

“…Cold.”

Bing reached out again. “Can I touch –”

“ _No._ ”

Bing drew his hand back in, shuffling to stand. “…Okay. I’ll…I’ll be right back.”

He headed off to the trees, rearing himself up on his back two legs and reaching up to pull off the largest palm fronds he could reach. He grabbed six or seven before moving slowly back over to Google, making sure his tail clicked so Google could hear him coming and he wouldn’t startle him. Bing gently laid the leaves over him, covering everything but his head. Google didn’t move, nor did he acknowledge Bing’s presence as he settled by his head. Bing hovered a hand above him, wanting to touch and give comfort, but afraid to do so. “…Do you need anything else?”

A few of his snakes lifted their heads – one green, one red, one yellow – and began to weave through Bing’s fingers, hissing softly and gently pulling Bing’s hand down to resting lightly on Google’s head. Other snakes proceeded to swarm his hand, preventing him from pulling it back (not like he wanted to). Bing huffed out a laugh as Oliver encircled his wrist, and he spread his fingers out a little more.

“…Stay?”

Google’s voice was barely a whisper. Bing nodded, shifting more comfortable in the sand. “Yeah, I’ll stay. Of course I will.”

Google sighed, relaxing at last. A few moments later, his deep breathing and soft snores told Bing he was asleep, having completely passed out in the sand. His snakes gradually began to loosen their hold on Bing’s hand as they, too, began to fall asleep, but Bing didn’t move. He kept his hand resting on the side of Google’s head, shifting it lower to gently massage along his cheek bone, just below his eye. Google frowned in his sleep, making a small noise of discomfort, and Bing’s breath hitched. Slowly and carefully, Bing pulled the shades away from his face, just enough to see his closed eyes. Bing covered his mouth with his free hand, shaking his head and unable to stop the tears rolling down his face. Google’s right eye – the one Bing had been touching – was black and bruised, completely swollen shut, and hidden the whole time from view by the shades.

Bing pushed the shades back up Google’s nose, shifting his hand lower to cup his cheek instead. He sniffed, attempting to wipe away his tears but quickly gave up. “Oh Google…” He sniffed again, burrowing further into the sand in an effort to lord above the poor gorgon less. “I’m so sorry…”

Google’s frown deepened, and he shifted a little, whimpering slightly. A nightmare, Bing realized. Google was prone to them. Bing had been woken up multiple times in the middle of the day by Google’s screaming and sobbing. Whatever had happened to Google, it wasn’t hard to figure out he had PTSD through the _roof_. He needed care. And Bing was happy to provide that for him.

One thing was for sure, though: If Bing ever found who’d done this, he was going to make _sure_ they could never hurt _anyone_ again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my poor baby...


	3. Chapter 3

The next night, they got a visitor.

It was very sudden. One moment, Google was rinsing his wrists in the lake, bowed low so his snakes could drink, with Bing sitting nearby as a sort of lookout, and the next _something_ was dropping out of the sky and landing on the opposite shore. Google tensed, raising his head sharply to stare at the creature before retreating to Bing’s side. Bing had crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes suspiciously as he glared, but he tried his best to relax when Google approached, taking his hand when Google timidly reached up his own. “…What _is_ that?”

“A sphinx.” Bing pulled Google closer to him, retreating slowly toward the treeline. “They’re native to around here. They’re one of if not _the_ most intelligent creatures in the world, and they can be _vicious._ ” Bing continued to retreat, eyes trained on the sphinx as it appeared to drink from the lake. “…I have _never_ seen one _that_ _big_.”

Google made a quiet, strangled noise in the back of his throat, holding tight to Bing’s hand as they backed up. Bing’s tail arched, poised to strike, as the sphinx stretched, yawning hugely. Even at their great distance, its _massive_ canines were _obvious_.

Bing’s tail bumped against a tree, making it shiver, and they both went rigid.

Bing held his breath as the sphinx’s head shot up, whipping in their direction. Google was borderline hyperventilating at his side as its eyes narrowed, shifting into a crouched position. Its wings spread, and it leapt into the air, soaring across the lake to land mere feet from them. Bing relaxed slightly, eyes narrowing a bit, when the sphinx sat back on his – definitely ‘his’ going by the human face – haunches, tail flicking idly at his side. “Hi.”

His head swiveled to face Google, and he gasped, crouching down again and tilting his head, though the position looked more curious than threatening. “Whoa! It’s been a _long_ time since I’ve seen a gorgon!”

Google pushed the shades farther up his nose, shifting closer to Bing and holding tight to his hand in a death grip. “You’ve…met a gorgon before?”

The sphinx nodded, returning to his sitting position. “Yeah. A few actually. Very nice people.” He sat a bit straighter, shooting them a crooked grin. “I’m Dr. Iplier, by the way. Nice to meet you.”

Both Bing and Googles’ _jaws_ dropped, and Bing found his voice first. “Doct… _you’re the Host’s guardian!_ ”

Dr. Iplier looked incredibly smug, raising an eyebrow. “Indeed I am.”

Bing shook his head, trying to clear it. “But…the City of the Host is _miles_ away! What are you doing out here? I thought…stories say you can’t live without him nearby.”

Dr. Iplier snorted, frowning. “ _Of_ course they do. The bastard spread all those himself. He probably wrote the damn things. If anyone can’t live without the other, _he_ can’t live without _me_. He can hardly feed himself without my ‘bitching’ as he calls it, too deep in his own head to pay attention to physical needs. As for why I’m here…” Dr. Iplier narrowed his eyes again, scanning the trees behind them. “The Host ran out of ink. _Why_ he didn’t think to _mention that_ when we were out picking up more parchment last fucking week, I don’t know. He makes it himself, but the picky son of a bitch only uses hawthorn ink. Do you know how _hard_ it is to find hawthorn in a desert?! _Seriously?!_ ”

Dr. Iplier growled softly, scowling a bit, and Google visibly stiffened, breathing heavily. Dr. Iplier quickly relaxed once he noticed, expression softening and tilting his head. “ _Oh_. You’re the pair he was muttering about in his sleep earlier. Bing and Google, right?”

Google’s brow furrowed, a few of his snakes taking interest and hissing softly. “He…was talking about us? But…we’re no one.”

Dr. Iplier huffed. “He’s expecting you, actually. Has been for a while. It’s not often a gorgon is in range of his radar, and _you_ have been on it for several months.” He crouched down, reaching out a paw as if to step closer. “…Let me see?”

Google glanced at Bing, clearly terrified, and shuffled closer to him. Dr. Iplier smiled softly, drawing his paw back in. “It’s okay. I won’t hurt you. I only bite when I have to. _And_ when the Host is being particularly stubborn, but that’s his own damn fault.”

Google crinkled his nose. “Comforting.”

Dr. Iplier snorted, and Google dropped Bing’s hand, taking a cautious step forward. Dr. Iplier backed up a step, coaxing him further away from Bing, which he did with _great_ reluctance and several glances back, arms wrapped around himself. “Let me see,” Dr. Iplier repeated.

Google slowly dropped his arm, hesitantly showing Dr. Iplier his wrists. Dr. Iplier frowned, creeping closer and sniffing at the abrasions. They still looked painful and inflamed, and Dr. Iplier made a soft growling noise in the back of his throat before running his tongue over one wrist. Google snatched them back, crossing his arms over his chest. “What the fuck?!”

Bing muffled a laugh in the back as Dr. Iplier raised an eyebrow. “I’m a cat,” he deadpanned. “Now sit still. Let me clean it.”

Google slowly presented his wrists again, and Dr. Iplier was quick to run his tongue over one again. He spent a good minute licking it over before switching to the other one, giving it the same treatment and slowing down briefly whenever Google winced. When he was done with his wrists, he prowled around Google instead, sniffing at his other visible wounds and licking over a few once, gradually moving up his body. When he got to his back, he paused, lips curling up in a snarl. “Take this off.” He batted at the ends of Google’s robe. “ _Let me see_.”

Google stiffened. He hesitated before pulling it off, back to both Bing and Dr. Iplier. Both creatures gasped, one of Bing’s hands flying to his mouth. His spine was not as prominent as it was that first day, though his skin was still pulled taut over it. But the crisscrossing scars and wounds that matted his back still looked _horrific_. The fresher ones were beginning to scar over nicely, and they didn’t look infected, or inflamed, but _still_ –

Dr. Iplier growled softly again, and Google flinched, wrapping his arms around himself again. Dr. Iplier hesitantly pressed his tongue to the wounds, giving Google time to steel himself before dragging it across his back. Google drew in a sharp breath, hunching his shoulders as Dr. Iplier set to work carefully cleaning his wounds. By the time he was done, Google was crying, small gasping noises accompanying the tears rolling down his face. Dr. Iplier’s attention shifted to the healing handprint-shaped bruises on his hips, but Google grabbed his robe and pulled it on before he could do anything about it.

Dr. Iplier sat back as Google wiped at his eyes, quickly retreating back to Bing’s side. He didn’t say anything, just wandered over to the treeline and sniffed at a couple of yellowish orange flowers. “Both of you, come here.” They hesitantly obeyed, Google stuck to Bing’s side with half his snakes wound around Bing’s arm to help with that. Dr. Iplier gestured to the flowers with a paw. “These are medicinal. Grind up the leaves into a paste and mix it with beeswax or animal lard or something and spread it across his back and wrists every morning. Or nightfall, I guess. First thing when you wake up. It’ll prevent infection and reduce the inflammation.”

Bing nodded, squeezing Google’s hand when it slipped into his own. Dr. Iplier sat back on his haunches, looking to Google again and tilting his head. “Like I said, the Host is expecting you two. Within the next couple weeks or so. He can help you. He can get rid of your…‘gift’.”

Google’s breath audibly hitched, fiddling with the shades. “You mean…he can…a-are you sure?”

Dr. Iplier nodded, giving him a tiny smile. “He’s done it before. Three others, all with success. Granted it’s been a while since he’s done it last, but I have no doubt he’ll succeed with you. It’s a surgery of sorts. Technically. And completely painless.”

Google split in a wide grin, glancing up at Bing with pure excitement. Bing smiled, squeezing his hand again. “Then I guess we’re on our way.”

Dr. Iplier gave them his own broad grin, canines glinting in the moonlight and wings ruffling. “Great! I’ll see you two in a couple weeks then. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to find some hawthorn for a picky, dumb fuck of a god.”

Dr. Iplier spread his wings, and with that, he was gone.

Google’s snakes slowly withdrew from Bing’s arm, and he _beamed_ , bouncing in place a little. “ _Bing this is amazing!_ ” He tugged on his hand, looking up at him. “…I won’t be able to hurt anyone anymore!”

Bing chuckled, letting go of Google’s hand in order to settle down and inspect the flowers closer. “I know! It’s _really_ good! But…I don’t think we should leave quite yet.”

Google immediately stopped bouncing, expression falling into a frown with furrowed eyebrows. “…Why not?”

Bing glanced at him over his shoulder. “No offence, Google, but you’re not exactly in the right physical condition to make such a long journey. Plus, I need to make skins and stuff to carry water and food and all that sort of thing. We’ve got half a desert to cross, gotta cut through a bit of savannah, and have a good portion of a forest to get through if the maps I’ve seen at human camps are accurate. We gotta prepare first.”

Google huffed, crossing his arms. “Fine. You make a good point.”

Bing winked, turning back to the flowers and picking a few leaves. “Alright then! I’m gonna go hunt down a beehive. Let’s try out this flower thing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, before I continue with this _nightmare_ of a story (because no it does not get better, not till the final chapter), _please_ imagine the Host forgetting to bathe for a while or something and Dr. Iplier just picking him up and plopping him between his paws and _holding_ him there and giving him a tongue bath like a cat gives its young while the Host sits there grumpy and pouty as fuck and when Dr. Iplier's done (looking smug as Hell) the Host finally goes to take a _real_ bath it's just it's so pure alright


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare for Hell, this one is _bad_

A week later, the pair was ready to go.

After roughly two weeks of healing and relaxation, Google was faring much better. The salve Dr. Iplier had told them how to make had worked _wonders_ – the abrasions on his wrists had gone from puffy and red to almost healed in the simple span of a couple days. His back looked better, too. At least, as better as it could get. His body was filling out more and more as Bing worked to reverse the severe malnutrition Google had sustained. Bing liked to think they were…friends, of some sort. They were certainly fond of each other.

Despite their growing relationship, Google still refused to say what happened to him, blatantly dodging the topic whenever Bing so much as vaguely _hinted_ at it. But Bing never pressed. He was a bit afraid to. His curiosity was growing with each passing day, but Google’s screams when he woke up from a nightmare and those wretched sobs when Bing accidentally launched him into some sort attack made him loathe to nag Google into reliving his obvious trauma.

Bing was currently finishing up making one last skin, tongue poking out between his teeth as pulled thread he’d made from palm fibers through the snakeskin. He’d gotten lucky in terms of material; a few hours after Dr. Iplier had left and Google was recuperating from the sphinx’s ministrations, Bing had found a lone naga wondering in the desert, apparently lost and delirious from thirst. It had been a quick kill, and a good meal that Google cooked as Bing worked to salvage its snakeskin.

Google was kneeling at the lake, filling finished skins with water while remaining careful not to get his dressed wrists wet. He was humming something, his snakes hissing almost musically along, and Bing couldn’t help but smile softly. He pulled the last bit of thread through, tying it off before snapping off the excess with a pincer. He grinned, glancing up at Google. “Hey Googs! Head’s up!”

Google flinched and raised his head sharply, catching the new skin with ease despite his reaction. He didn’t set it aside, though, tilting his head curiously and staring at Bing. “…What did you call me?”

Bing blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Um, ‘Googs’. It’s a nickname. I-if you want. I will shut up if you don’t like it.”

Google laughed, giving him a soft little smile before turning back to the water. He didn’t say anything more, and Bing let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He was going to take Google’s silence as not minding it, and unconsciously his blush deepened. He stood, heading toward the citrus and various fruit trees that surrounded the lake, rearing up to pick at least a dozen oranges, dates, plums, peaches and so on each and packing them in a makeshift, single-strap backpack woven out of palm fronds and sturdy sticks. Food wasn’t particularly an issue, considering Bing was an adept hunter, but Google leaned more toward the vegetarian side of things, preferring not to eat anything Bing killed if he could avoid it.

Bing shot Google a lopsided smile, slinging the backpack over his shoulder. “Ready to go, man?”

Google nodded, finishing up filling the last skin before setting it carefully in another bag with the others. He made to put it on, but Bing snatched it from him, slinging it over his other shoulder. “Nope, oh no you don’t, not with your back the way it is.”

Google flushed, pushing the shades further up his nose and wrapping his arms around himself. Bing reached a hand down, and Google hesitated before taking it, his snakes hissing softly.

And they were off.

The first day was… _rough_. They made good progress through the night, Bing’s memorization of the desert _extremely_ useful, and when the sun began to rise Bing had dug a temporary den to hide and sleep in through the day. They slipped into their usual position, Google in the back in the coolest part with Bing in the front to shield him so he didn’t roast alive in the desert sun. But the den wasn’t _nearly_ as big as Bing’s back by the oasis. And when Google woke up screaming from his inevitable nightmares and realized he didn’t have an escape route, he had _panicked_ in a way Bing had never seen, sobbing and scratching at the walls with one hand wrapped tight around his own throat. It’d taken Bing a good while to calm him down, his snakes writhing and hissing and fighting almost _viciously_ as Bing tried to get him out of what was essentially a hole in the ground and into open air.

As a result of a tough first day, the second night wasn’t as productive. Google was _shaken,_ barely saying a word and not quite able to get his footing in the shifting sand. After some gentle persuading, Bing had coaxed him into riding on his back for the night, and Google clung to him, his arms wrapped loosely around the junction where Bing’s human torso shifted into the hard exoskeleton of his scorpion body. He dozed lightly as Bing continued the trek.

The rest of the week passed by without incident. Bing made sure they stopped earlier every morning so he had time to dig a bigger den so Google felt safer. Every time, Google apologized for wasting valuable time, and every time Bing reminded him that they weren’t on a time crunch, he had nothing to apologize for, they could take as long as they needed. And – after a while – they reached the edge of the desert. A thick fog rolled across the landscape, almost obscuring the strip of savannah they had to cross completely from view.

Bing squinted through the fog, almost impossible to see through even with the moon high in the sky and the stars bright. “Where the Hell did this come from? The deserts supposed to be _dry!_ ”

“It’s because the ocean’s nearby.” Google squeezed his hand, shifting closer in fear of being separated in the fog. “I…think I came from this way. To get into the desert in the first place. I remember feeling the fog.”

Bing continued to squint, humming slightly, before drawing in a quick breath. “Well, let’s continue on! Some stupid fog isn’t gonna stop us!”

Google gave a small laugh, and the two continued. The savannah gradually became more visible, and Bing gasped, shaking Google’s hand a little with excitement. “Hey Googs! Look, there’s a human camp! Let’s check it out!”

Google leaned his head forward a bit as Bing dragged him along, most likely squinting through the fog, too. The vague outlines of a camp were indeed visible, just a fuzzy silhouette of some sort of wagon or coach with the light of a fire making the fog glow. Google’s breathing hitched, and he dug his heels in the sand, tugging forcefully on Bing’s hand. “Bing don’t go over there.”

Bing raised an eyebrow, giving him an odd look. “Why not? It’s just a bunch of humans, they’ll probably run the second they see us. And if they’re hostile, well –” He clicked his tail, snapping his pincers a few times.

Google shook his head rapidly, pulling his hand free of Bing’s as he back up. His breathing was beginning to pick up, his snakes hissing and writhing. “Just don’t go over there, don’t make me – _please_ , I – I-I need to hide, I can’t – Bing – _don’t make me go over there!_ ”

Bing turned to face him as Google continued to take shuffling steps back, firmly facing the camp. “Google, what’s wrong?”

“ _Hey look!_ ”

Google froze stiff, and Bing’s head whipped to face the camp. Something was shifting in the fog, three humanoid silhouettes beginning to rise by the camp. Bing took a step back, extending an arm to shield Google as those silhouettes pointed. “…Do you know them?”

Google didn’t respond, completely _rigid_ with fear. Bing took his hand again, dragging him forward more. Google only took fumbling steps to keep himself from falling, his heels still dug into the stand in a futile attempt at slowing Bing. He squeezed Google’s hand reassuringly as they drew closer, till Bing could clearly see the wagon. “Hey!”

The three humans blatantly ignored him, eyes fixed onto Google with predatory smiles Bing _did not like_. Google pressed firmly to his side, trembling violently as one took a step forward, seemingly inspecting him, his gaze sweeping down Google’s body slowly before letting out a laugh and turning back to the others. “Ha! It _is!_ Our little bitch came crawling back! And with a _friend!_ ”

Bing stiffened, reflexively beginning to rear his tail as he tightened his grip on Google’s hand. “ _What_ did you say?”

Again, he was ignored as one of the humans snorted, grinning broadly. “Look at him!” They stuck their lip out in an exaggerated pout, crouching down to place their hand on their knees. “Poor baby’s all bruised up. Look at his throat! Hey Mike, where’d you put his collar?”

Bing hissed, tail rearing up further. Google was pressed so tightly against him he could feel his harsh swallow, his snakes hissing so loudly they almost drowned out Bing’s. “ _You’re_ the ones who did this to him?”

Google shook his head absently, backing up a step and tugging fervently on Bing’s hand. “Bing, Bing please, let’s go, I-I-I can’t –”

“Hold on now, bitch.” Google went stock still again as the first human’s grin dropped into a snarl, taking a threatening step forward to match the distance. “We’re _not_ letting you slip away again. I hope you enjoyed your couple weeks of relaxation, because after that _stunt_ –” His eyes lit up with sadism, lips upturning in a cruel smirk. “You’re gonna _wish_ we let you die.”

Before Bing could react, the human slapped Google _hard_. He fell with a muffled cry, dropping Bing’s hand with shock and made no attempt to get back up. Bing’s eyes narrowed to slits, and he was quick to step over Google, standing above him and protecting him from the grasp of the humans. Pincers spread wide and ready to snap and his tail poised to strike, they backed up a bit, still eyeing Google beneath him. Bing ignored that, glancing down himself. He could only see a few writhing snakes. “…Google? You alright?”

He heard Google draw a shuddering breath, and he shifted slowly, kneeling between Bing’s pincers. “…Get behind me.”

The humans laughed, the third one pulling a thick leather collar that _perfectly_ matched the bruise on Google’s throat out of the back of the wagon. Bing hissed louder, actually taking a step forward to further shield Google. His eyes were locked onto the collar as the third human rejoined their friends. “Like _Hell_.”

“ _Bing_.” Google looked up at him, reaching for his shades. “ _Please_.”

Bing’s eyes widened, and he backed up quickly. Google got shakily to his feet, one hand still on the shades. The first human scoffed, taking a confident step closer to him, one Google scrambled to match with a step back. “You finally fighting back, pet?” Google visibly shuddered at the name, shrinking in on himself. The human grinned. “I think you need another _lesson_ on what happens when you _fight back_.”

Google snarled, grip tightening on the shades. “ _Eat shit_.”

He whipped them off.

It wasn’t a speedy process. The first human stumbled back, eyes wide and clawing at his chest as cold marble slowly spread out from his torso. And it was clearly _painful_. His breaths rattled and labored until they stopped all together as his lungs and heart turned to stone. His eyes bugged out of his head as he slowly suffocated in unforgiving marble.

He was dead _long_ before he was completely turned to stone.

Google’s gaze flicked to the other two as the tried to run. They didn’t get far. The third human collapsed, desperately trying to crawl and drag their frozen lower half as the stone spread. The second simply froze stiff with terror, their expression carved in marble one of the most disturbing things Bing had ever seen. Google slipped the shades back on as the last strangled screams and creaks of spreading stone echoed in the foggy, dark savannah. He was trembling violently, worse than Bing had ever seen him. And then he collapsed, sobbing brokenly on the dusty ground.

Bing snapped out of his horrified reverie, skidding to Google’s side. He reached out a hand, drawing it back a little when Google flinched. “…Google? Are you…who…” He swallowed harshly, gently laying a hand on Google’s shoulder. One of his green snakes flicked its tongue against Bing’s finger before pressing its nose to it. His voice was nothing but a soft whisper. “…What _happened_ to you, man?”

Google stiffened, then slowly pushed himself upright, pointedly avoiding looking at the statues he’d created. He sniffed, wiping away his tears with the heel of one hand, smudging dirt and mud across his cheeks. “Um…th-they were my…‘handlers’. Be-because I was dangerous. I _am_ dangerous, I mean –” He glanced over his shoulder and made an odd choking noise, quickly turning back to Bing. “But…I-I wasn’t with them by _choice_.”

He hunched forward, his forehead almost pressed to the dirt with his hands tangled among his snakes, the little serpents hissing and weaving between his fingers. “…Back home, i-in the rainforest, I lived in a cave. It was _nice_ , I love my home. It was cool and provided shelter from the near constant rainstorms and almost unbearable humidity. I know for a fact most other gorgons didn’t have the luck to find something so nice. It was perfect. And I didn’t need to fear keeping the entrance hidden, because gorgons don’t _have_ natural predators and only someone with a death wish would poke around a gorgon’s home. But um…”

He choked again, squeaking slightly. Now that he had _finally_ begun to open up, he didn’t seem able to stop himself. “O-one night, I…was woken up. By someone screaming ‘ _Gorgon!_ ’ I snapped awake, but before I could do anything something was being wrapped around my eyes and my wrists were tied behind me. I-I was too scared to do anything besides _sit there_. They um…they-they robbed me blind, I-I could hear them rooting around all my stuff and talking to each other. When they were done, I-I thought they would leave me. But…they grabbed me, dragging me out into the forest at the dead of night. I-I-I fought, and I managed to slip away once, but I was blindfolded in the middle of a _rainforest_. I tripped, and they just grabbed me again and hauled me away.

“First thing they did was shove me in the back of their wagon. They um, they didn’t let me out for a couple of days, and when they _did_ it was to…t-to um…” One of his hands wandered to his throat, rubbing at the slowly fading bruise. “…They stuck a collar on me. Tight enough to bruise, and tight enough that I could hardly breathe. From then on, they only called me things like ‘bitch’ and ‘pet’. I-I was their plaything, more or less. Very people have seen a gorgon and lived to tell about it, and they seemed to _revel_ in forcing me to my knees. They hardly fed me, only giving me scraps of their own meals that they made me eat off the ground. Whenever they were bored or frustrated or something, they-they beat me. A _lot_. And um…”

He sat up straighter, still glancing downward, refusing to look at Bing now, too. Bing’s lips were parted slightly with shock, mute with horror as Google continued. The hand that wasn’t holding onto his throat moved to rub his shoulder instead, still staring down at his lap. “The…the-the first time they whipped me, um…when we traveled, I-I wasn’t allowed to ride in the wagon or-or on the horses. They…h-had a leash for me, a-and they tied one end around the collar and the other to the back of the wagon, and they’d force me to walk and just…drag me along when I fell. And…about a-a month in, I…refused to get back up. I was tired. We’d been moving all day, a-and I was tired, and homesick, and I _hurt_ and I just…didn’t have the energy to. _He –_ ” He pointed over his shoulder at the first human. “– got _really_ upset, and he grabbed a whip that was meant for the horses and he…he…”

He swallowed thickly, squeezing his throat once before dropping both hands in order to hug himself. “…The nightmares started soon after that. After the first few times I woke up screaming, they began to gag me in my sleep. And…they only let me sleep in the wagon, here –”

Google stood shakily, still refusing to look anywhere but the ground, and made his way over to the wagon. He opened the back door slowly, gesturing for Bing to come closer as he crawled inside. Bing hesitated a moment before standing, not quite sure if he wanted to see. Google was kneeling towards the back of the wagon, carefully slipping his wrists into two rope loops that hung from the ceiling, wincing whenever the rope got caught on his still-healing abrasions. His ankles were already pinned to the floor of the wagon by two leather straps. The ropes were stained and crusted blue with his blood.

Google hung his head, his breathing beginning to pick up. “…They only let me sleep like _this_. Because they took the blindfold off when I slept, to-to use it as a gag instead. They…didn’t want me going blind. Because um…they were mercenaries.”

Bing couldn’t help the soft gasp, and Google whipped his head around, yanking his wrists free of the rope and beginning to panic and speak faster as he struggled to free his ankles of the leather straps. “They-they-they _used_ me, Bing! As a _weapon!_ They forced me to – so many people, I – I’ve never wanted to hurt anyone and they _made me_ –”

He broke off with a choked sob, finally pulling off the last strap and scrambling out of the wagon. He stumbled away, moving to go sit back on the ground in front of the first human. Well, less _sit_ and more _collapse_ , his head in his hands as he sobbed his snakes subdued and laying flat against his head. Bing came slowly back over, settling down in front of him. “I’m so sorry, Google…”

Google just shook his head, a noise that sounded like a broken mix between a sob and a laugh escaping him. “…That’s not all they used me for.”

Google’s hands shifted from his face to his thighs, still hunched over. Bing’s mind flashed back to when he’d first found him in the desert, to the handprint-shaped bruises on his hips and thighs, and he covered his mouth with one hand. “They…you mean…?”

Google nodded slowly, fisting his robe tight in his hands. “They um, t-took my clothes with in hours of grabbing me. They’re probably still laying in the rainforest somewhere. And…when they got tired of shoving me around, o-or beating me up, or they were just super drunk after ‘a job well done’, they’d…pass me around. They took turns, _torturing_ me in the _worst way possible_ , and every time I’d try to disassociate and think of home but then one of them would do _something_ and I’d be snapped back to the present and…” Another broken sob tore itself from his throat, sounding worse and more painful than any previously. “…They told me to do awful, _disgusting_ things, and I _did it_ , in fear of being hurt more, and every time I wished one of them would hit me a little too hard next time, or I’d suffocate in my sleep from the collar, or _something_ and I just never woke up again.”

Bing opened his mouth to say… _something_ , something comforting, but then Google’s head was shooting up, and he made the odd laughing-sobbing sound again. “I um, I-I-I remember one time, they uh, they were upset with me. They’d caught this poor lake nymph. They were hired to kill him because he was _vehemently_ protesting using him as public fishing place or something, and the local politician needed the lake to win votes or something along those lines, so she discretely hired them to ‘take care of the problem’. He was pretty easy to grab, popping out of the lake the second we got close, and I…I didn’t want to do it. They took off the blindfold but I refused to open my eyes. They threatened me with all sorts of things, but I didn’t want to hurt him. And then I hear him screaming.”

Google turned his head away again, tears cascading down his face in a waterfall. “They um, they’d wrapped a rope around his neck, threatened to hang him instead. When I opened my eyes reflexively to see what was going on, I regretted it instantly. They’d…they’d cut his robe off, and one of them must’ve molested him because he was…you know. And he was clearly _terrified_. He just wanted to go back home, just like me, and I killed him. And they put his statue in the wagon, as usual, but when they went to get _me_ ready for the night, as punishment, they forced me to…they shoved his…” He swallowed harshly. “…i-in my mouth, as deep as they could get it. And they forced me to stay like that, all night. Between… _him_ , and the collar, I…I nearly suffocated that night.”

Bing sniffed, shocked to realize he was crying himself, and Google flinched, panting a bit. His voice had dropped into a soft whisper. “…We were in the desert looking for some mob boss, a-a-a naga. When they found her, and they made me…and they-they got super drunk to celebrate. They were going to get a _lot_ of money for this one. But…none of them were sober enough to tie me down properly. I managed to slip out of the restraints. First thing I did was rip off the collar. They didn’t treat their horses any better than they treated me, so I freed them and _ran_. Hid in the first hole I found. And then… _you_ found me a couple days later.”

There was a lengthy pause as Bing slowly processed all that Google had spilled out to him. “You…you said that it’s been _years_ since you were home. How…how long were you _with_ these guys?”

Google shrunk. “I’m…not sure, I think…around four years.”

Bing swallowed harshly. “Can I touch you?” Google hesitated, then nodded stiffly. Bing wasted no time in pulling him into a crushing hug, wrapping his arms tightly around him. Google let out a squeak, not reciprocating for a _long_ time, but eventually, he – _hesitantly_ – wrapped his arms around Bing in return. “I am _so_ sorry, Google,” Bing mumbled. “I am _so so_ sorry for all you’ve had to go through. And…I’m gonna help you. I’m gonna get you to the Host, and I’m gonna make sure no one hurts you again. I _promise_.”

Google let out another sob, shuddering in Bing’s grasp, before tightening his own grip. His words were mumbled into Bing’s chest, almost too soft to hear. “…Thank you.”

After a moment, Bing pulled back, smiling gently. “Stay right here. I’ll be back in a sec.”

Google obediently sat down on the ground as Bing wandered off into the fog, heading toward one of the shadowy, spindly trees he had seen. After a quick conversation with it’s friendly, understanding dryad, he came back with a hefty, strong branch that might as well have been a metal baseball bat. He passed it off to Google, who took it with more than enough confusion. “Here.”

Google raised an eyebrow, glancing up at Bing. “The Hell am I supposed to do with this?”

Bing fixed his gaze pointedly on the face of the first human, arms crossed. “What do you _want_ to do with it?”

Google looked over his shoulder, following Bing’s gaze. He stood slowly, hefting the branch up in both hands. Something crossed his expression, something Bing couldn’t recognize, and he swung. The branch connected solidly with the side of the statue’s head – miraculously not splintering on impact – with particles of stone dust raining down.

It was like a dam broke inside him as he watched the dust fall. He swung the branch again with as much force as he could muster. And again. And again. And _again_ , slowly chipping away at the statue. He didn’t stop when the human was nothing but dust and chunks of marble, instead moving to the next statue and repeating the process. By the time all three were nothing but dust and unrecognizable chunks, the sun was peeking over the horizon, making the fog glow strangely.

Google dropped the branch, panting heavily. His skin and robe had turned ashy white with marble dust, sticking to him with sweat and fog. His snakes hissed softly, rubbing against each other in an attempt to clean themselves of dust. Bing poked his head out of the den he’d been working on as Google blew off steam (dirt was _much_ easier to work with than sand, he’d discovered). “Feel better?”

Google shot him a beaming smile, still breathing hard, and he nodded. He stumbled over, exhaustion clearly taking him over as he tripped over the remains of the first human. He nearly crashed to the ground, saved only by Bing catching him. “Whoa! Okay, you _may_ have pushed your limits there, Googs.”

Google chuckled as Bing lifted him up in his arms, carrying him into the den. “…Worth it.”

Bing laughed, setting him down at the very back of the den before settling down himself a bit away. Google lifted his head, picking at the dirt floor for a moment before crawling forward. Bing watched as Google lifted one of his arms, crawling beneath it and pressing his back to Bing’s chest, using his other arm as a pillow. Bing blinked, breath hitching with surprise as Google’s snakes wound around his arm, more or less pinning his head in place. Bing hesitated a moment further before shifting his grip around Google’s waist and pulling him back closer to his chest. He sighed through his nose, closing his eyes.

“…Sweet dreams, Google.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry


	5. Chapter 5

After that, Google’s mental health _skyrocketed_. He was _so much_ happier, his sarcasm and snarky remarks having both of them in stitches most of the time. Bing never noticed how much Google looked over his shoulder till he stopped doing it. No his nightmares were no less frequent, but they seemed to be…less severe, if only marginally. Bing only figured that because Google had slept through the whole day after the… _incident_ , the whole following night as Bing carried him across the savannah, and the next day. And by then, they’d reached the looming forest.

While Bing was _ecstatic_ Google was finally starting down the path of mental repair, their personalities began to clash. Google was a bit of a know-it-all with little patience for disagreement. It led to quite a few bickering matches, but Google was always quick to cave, and Bing always felt _horrible_ afterwards. Their fights led to interesting paths and things sometimes (like meeting a frankly _precious_ dryad by the ocean who went by the name of King). But the more Google chipped away at and broke out of his shell and the closer the two of them got, the more Bing feared what would happen after they met with the Host. What if Google wanted to leave him and go back to the rainforest? Bing wouldn’t tell him _no,_ he _knew_ that, if that was what Google wanted, he’d take him there himself. But…he’d miss him.

Despite the minor set back of ending up at the _fucking ocean_ (Google still refused to let him live it down), the forest was easy to get through with its worn paths. And eventually, they arrived in the city. It was… _difficult_. They were both nocturnal creatures at that point, and they’d hoped the streets would be empty, but unfortunately some of the cityfolk were as well. They got… _stares_ , and the whispers were obvious. By the time the moon was high in the sky and they’d reached the Host’s library in the center of the city, Bing was fairly certain the entire city knew there was a gorgon in town.

Bing stared warily up at the massive library doors, Google’s hand held tightly in his own and shifting his legs nervously. It was one thing to _talk_ about meeting a god. It was another to actually be standing on his doorstep. Not to mention the stares he could feel boring into his back. It was… _nerve-wracking_ , to say the least.

He felt Google squeeze his hand, and he glanced down. Google was trembling slightly, his eyes no doubt wide behind the shades. Bing squeezed his hand back in reassurance. “You okay?”

Google let out a strained laugh. “ _No_. I’m about to meet one of the most revered, worshipped gods in the world. I’m _terrified_.”

Bing laughed, opening his mouth to say more, but then the door was being pushed open. Both of them went stock-still, but sagged with relief when a large paw came poking out from the crack, pushing it open further, and then Dr. Iplier stuck his head out. He jumped at the sight of them, accidentally bumping the doors open further, before grinning broadly. “Hey! You two made it! Come on, come on in. I’ll take you to the Host.”

Dr. Iplier disappeared back into the library, and Bing and Google exchanged a nervous glance before following. They gasped. The library was _beautiful_ , with shelves as high as thousand-year-old oaks and made of glossy, honeyed wood. The smell of ink and parchment permeated the air, and magic – the _Host’s_ powerful magic – was almost visible in the air around them. Bing could’ve sworn he saw strands of gold and silver and black ink fly towards the millions of books out of the corner of his eye, weaving around the great white pillars spaced evenly among the shelves. Magnificent candelabras were mounted to the pillars, lighting as they passed and snuffing out once more after they’d reached a certain distance from them. But, despite the daunting regality the building held and the looming shadows, it still felt… _homey_ , somehow. And _warm_.

Google flinched every time the candles flicked out behind them, squeezing Bing’s hand tightly and shifting closer to him. “…Why are the candles doing that?”

“Hm?” Dr. Iplier glanced over his shoulder, watching as Google hunched his shoulders again as they were plunged into brief darkness before they entered another set’s radius. “The Host is blind. He doesn’t need light. He only put those in when _I_ came along, but he never _quite_ grasps that whatever system he has set up is broken as Hell. One day I’ll manage to convince him to fix it.” He turned back to face the front again, and he immediately halted, dropping into a hunting crouch, his tail swishing idly. Bing and Google froze as well as Dr. Iplier spoke, voice dropping to a whisper. “ _Shh!_ There he is! Wait here!”

Dr. Iplier stalked forward, his massive body shifting out of the way and revealing the Host. Bing swallowed harshly, and he heard Google muffle a gasp. The Host was sitting at an ornate, dark cherry wood desk, his back to them and muttering fervently under his breath as he scribbled furiously with a quill. He seemed unaware of Dr. Iplier creeping up on him, and when he paused for a moment, running a hand through his hair, Dr. Iplier pounced. He clamped his jaws gently around the back of the Host’s neck, picking him up much like a cat would pick up its kitten by its scruff, and dragged him out of his chair. The Host yelped, dropping his quill and scrambled to bat at Dr. Iplier, even after the sphinx dumped him on the floor. “ _Hey!_ Doctor!”

Dr. Iplier hissed, still crouched down, and he smacked the Host with a wing. “You have _guests_.”

The Host went stiff for a moment before his head snapped in the direction where Bing and Google still stood. “ _Oh shit!_ ” He scrambled to his feet, brushing off his pristine white toga before fixing them with a warm smile. Bandages – yellow with age – were wrapped around his eyes, but his apparent blindness didn’t seem to stop him from knowing exactly where they were. “Hello! The Host apologizes he did not greet Bing and Google at the door himself, he was a bit… _lost_ inside his own head.”

Dr. Iplier snorted from where he sat beside the Host, cuffing his shoulder with one paw, and the Host yelped again. “Yeah no shit.”

The Host scowled, batting at Dr. Iplier again and landing a lucky shot on his noise. Dr. Iplier reared back, blinking rapidly. He huffed, rubbing at his nose with one paw before stalking off to lay on the outer edge of the light, smacking the Host with his tail as he went. Bing muffled a snort as the Host flipped off Dr. Iplier’s retreating back before turning back to them. “Sorry about him.” He cocked his head to the side, smirking slightly. “He’s still _pissy_ over the Host’s ink earlier this month. But that is irrelevant.” His head swiveled to face Google directly. “Would Google come to the Host please?”

Google stiffened. Bing squeezed his hand once more before letting go, and Google slowly stepped forward. The Host chuckled, clasping his hands behind in his back as Google stopped rigidly in front of him. “There is no need to be so frightened. The Host will not hurt Google. He is here to receive the Host’s assistance, is he not?”

Google nodded once, before reaching up to fiddle with his shades. “And you can really take it away?”

The Host nodded himself, raising up a hand. Google flinched violently, and the Host frowned, displaying both palms in a show of surrender. “The Host will not hurt Google. He means to do the opposite, actually.”

Google raised an eyebrow. “…What do you mean?”

The Host lowered one hand, keeping the other in view. “May the Host touch?” At Google’s hesitant nod, the Host gently placed his hand on his forehead. He opened his mouth to speak, but instead it turned into a surprised laugh as Oliver _immediately_ curled around his wrist, flicking his tongue against the back of his hand.

Google flushed, his other snakes beginning to take interest in the old god’s presence. “Um, sorry, he uh – he-he likes to do that, give me a moment, um –”

The Host laughed again, waving away Google’s frantic attempts to unwind Oliver with his other hand. “It’s alright. Oliver can stay if he chooses.” Google flushed again, but dropped his hands, and the Host cleared his throat. “The process to remove Google’s ability is… _difficult_ , to say the least. It would be best if Google would be in the best physical condition he can. If Google gives his permission, the Host will remove all of his wounds and scars and bruises, as well as repair his malnutrition.”

Google’s breath hitched, and his voice cracked. “ _Please_.”

The Host smiled softly, then began muttering under his breath, brow furrowed with concentration. When he was done, Google stumbled, Oliver slipping free of the Host’s wrist. He swallowed thickly as the Host’s hands fell away. “ _Whoa_.” He smiled, glancing down at his hands and arms. “I…had forgotten what this felt like.”

The Host flashed a smile of his own, but it quickly faded, and he straightened himself. “This is Google’s last chance to back out of his plan. The Host will be removing a gift from the gods themselves. It is not something he can give back. Even the Host has his limits.”

Google scoffed. “It is _not_ a gift.”

The Host frowned. “It was, initially. Given to a woman. She was a victim, just like Google is. She was broken in a way that can never be repaired, on the floor of the temple of the goddess she worshipped, no less. The gods – specifically the _male_ gods – were furious with her, blaming her, for ‘defiling’ a temple in such a way. They wanted her punished. But her goddess was intelligent. She bestowed the woman a gift in the guise of a curse. She gave her the valuable gift of protection, powerful protection from all who would harm her again.” The Host drew a shuddering breath, reaching up to cup Google’s cheek. “…And man abused that as well.”

Google made a small noise. “…That may have been what it _was_ , but it is _far_ from it now. I…I don’t want it. _None_ of us want it. It…just _hurts_.”

The Host gave him a small, sad smile, his hand shifting from his cheek to his forehead again. “Then the Host asks Google to prepare himself. Like the Host said, this will be _difficult_.”

He began muttering again, his other hand coming up to grip Google just below the shoulder to steady them both. It took a _long_ time. Bing felt like a helpless spectator, and he couldn’t help the gasp of horror as the Host’s bandages slowly darkened and _blood_ began to seep through, trialing down his face in gruesome tears.

When they were finally done, the Host stumbled back, panting heavily with blood painting his face and dripping onto his toga. He reached blindly behind him for his desk chair, spinning it around and sitting down heavily. Spots of red began to appear on his toga as blood dripped down his chin. Google fiddled with his shades, spinning around briefly to send a glance at Bing. “Did…did it work?”

The Host raised a hand, gesturing for someone to come closer. “Dr. Iplier. Come here.”

Dr. Iplier lifted his head, slowly getting to his feet and coming to sit by the Host. He growled softly in the back of his throat at the sight of the blood, and he managed one lick to the Host cheek to clean him before the Host spluttered and pushed him away. “No – _No_. Over _there!_ Dr. Iplier is going to be Google’s test subject.”

Dr. Iplier paused, then huffed, getting to his feet again. Google tensed. “Wait, but – what if it didn’t work?”

The Host raised an eyebrow. “Then the Host will just repair his guardian. It’s not hard, just time consuming and tedious.”

Dr. Iplier huffed again, sitting back on his haunches in a spot where Google didn’t run the risk of possibly turning anyone else to stone. “I _hate_ it though. Last time you had to do that I was picking stone bits out of my fur and feathers for a _month_.”

The Host snorted. “Deal.”

Google fiddled with his shades again, shifting his feet nervously. Dr. Iplier shot him a smile, tail flicking by his side. “It’s alright. Go ahead, Google.”

After several beats more of hesitation, Google pulled off the shades, visibly holding his breath. When nothing happened, Dr. Iplier’s smile widened, and he moved to go stand again by the Host. “See? It’s fine.”

Google made a strange gasping noise, one hand flying up to cover his mouth. “I…” He whirled around, fixing Bing with the brightest smile he’d ever seen and _oh_ paint was _so much more_ different from the real thing. Google’s eyes were _bright_ , almost neon, and Bing was _positive_ they could glow in the dark. They were _beautiful_ , and he couldn’t help but think that if those eyes were the last thing people saw before they died then maybe it wasn’t so bad.

Google let out a disbelieving laugh, turning back to the Host and dropping into a low bow. “Thank you, thank you _so much_ , I can _never_ thank you enough, I –”

The Host cut him off with a laugh. “Stand up. The Host has never understood mortals’ need to bow in his presence. It’s _alright_.” He gave Google a warm smile, one hand carding through Dr. Iplier’s fur. “It was the Host’s pleasure to help Google. He is always happy to assist. It’s one of his _favorite_ things to do as a god.”

Google beamed, spinning around to face Bing again. His face dropped suddenly. “Oh! We um, we met a dryad on the way here. King says to tell you hello.”

The Host split in a broad smile of his own as Dr. Iplier raised an eyebrow. “While the Host is delighted to hear that Bing and Google have met his friend, King’s tree resides by the ocean. The _opposite_ direction from the city.”

Google scowled, crossing his arms. “Yes well, _some_ body –” He turned to shoot Bing a glare. “– was _insistent_ , and we got a bit turned around.”

Bing shrugged, smiling sheepishly. “…Sorry.”

Google huffed, and the Host laughed. “Well, Bing and Google are welcome to stay here for as long as they need before they begin their return journey.”

Dr. Iplier flashed a grin. “Make yourselves comfortable somewhere, there are bedrooms on the second floor.” His gaze flicked to the Host, eyeing the blood marring his face. “…Now if you’ll excuse us.”

He picked up the Host again by the back of his neck, stalking off deeper into the library. The Host made a noise like a choked scream, struggling to get Dr. Iplier to let him go. “ _Hey!_ Put the Host down! _Doctor!_ ” Dr. Iplier’s responding low growl was audible echoing through the library as the 6’ sphinx carried off the 5’10” god.

Bing snorted as the Host’s protests faded away, coming up to stand by Google. He reached for Google’s hand, and Google took it, glancing up at him and Bing was _not_ going to get over those eyes anytime soon. “What do you want to do now?”

Google shrugged, his snakes hissing softly and butting against Bing’s arm. “Rest here a bit, recuperate. Then go home.”

Bing couldn’t help stiffening, squeezing Google’s hand. “And…where _is_ home for you?”

A dark blue blush slowly spread across Google’s face. He hunched his shoulders, staring down at the floor and picking at his robe. “…Wherever _you_ are, I guess.”

Bing flushed himself, clearing his throat before scooping Google up in his arms and setting off to find the stairs to the second level. Google made a small squeaking noise, his blush deepening as his snakes flicked their tongues against Bing’s arm, and he covered his face with his hands.

Bing never thought finding a gorgon in the desert would lead to _this_ , but he wasn’t going to complain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Yeah. I...don't know _what_ came over me that told me to write this, but - as Godawful as it was - I hope you enjoyed it! I don't know how accurate Google's reactions are, because I personally have never experienced this type or severity of abuse (and _God_ I hope none of you have either) but um...it was definitely fun to write, I'll say that much, especially the bit with the branch and like, every single Dr. Iplierst interaction. I'm already working on the third Fantasy AU story as well! It's Dark's backstory, how he came to be a vampire and all that in this AU. It's...interesting. See you Monday for the next installment of the regular series!


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